Professional Presentations for Health Care Providers and the Community

The Northwest Health and Nutrition Conference is a golden opportunity for you to learn the latest information on plant-based nutrition, the effects of diet on chronic disease prevention and control, and about designing an optimum plant-based diet for patients and clients in a clinical setting. Interest in plant-based diets is growing, and Portland, Oregon has become a hub for that developing interest. This conference is designed for healthcare professionals, offering up to 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™for many medical professionals (6.5 for dietitians), but others with strong interests in nutrition and health are welcome to attend.

2017 Faculty

Joel Kahn, MD, FACC

Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine

Founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity

One of the world’s top cardiologists, Dr. Joel Kahn has treated thousands of acute heart attacks during his career. His long-term experience has led him to combine the best of western medicine and nutritional and complimentary therapies for prevention and total healing. He now has launched a campaign to prevent 1 million heart attacks through healthy living.

Terry Mason, MD

Plant-based Diets and Public Health

Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health, responsible for operations, direction, and planning for public health, and disease prevention.

Practicing urologist for 22 years, specializing in prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction

Weekly radio host of A Doctor In The House on WVON Radio 1690, and featured in the film Forks Over Knives

Dr. Mason earned his MD at the University of Illinois, and has treated thousands of patients during his 22 years as a practicing urologist. Bothered by the fact that his treatments were just treating the symptoms rather than getting at the underlying cause of the disease - an unhealthy lifestyle - Dr. Mason decided to transition to the public health arena. He became the Commissioner for Public Health for the City of Chicago in 2005, and then became the System Chief Medical Officer with the Cook County Health and Hospital System 2009 to present, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health since 2013.

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Getting a Good Start: Vegetarian Moms, Infants, and Children

Author of The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book and co-author of The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets

Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Dr. Mangels is a well-published researcher and dietetics professor specializing in vegetarian and vegan nutrition, and is best known for her research regarding vegan and vegetarian nutrition for infants and children.

Jane has worked as a science, outdoor, and health educator for over 28 years, and brings a vivacious energy to her talks and is an eager proponent of women’s health as it relates to a plant-based diet. Like many in the Esselstyn family, Jane presents her work, research, and high energy food demos across the country and world.

Craig McDougall, MD

Taking the First Steps Towards Better Health: How I help my patients begin to make lifestyle changes.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University

Former practice lead for ZOOM+Prime in Portland, Oregon

Co-developer and former physician lead of the Northwest Permanente Healthy Living Program at Kaiser Permanente

Dr. McDougall is a board-certified internist who completed his residency at Oregon Health & Science University after obtaining his MD from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. His practice at Zoom+ featured a 90-day personalized health coaching service, with an emphasis on increasing daily movement and moving towards a plant-based diet in order to reduce or reverse chronic disease.